River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1887-07-28
LEARNING THE GAME.

dinners; they give gamey flavor t6
conversations in the scented seclusior
of boudoirs.
Some days ago ] saw one of the bic
matches between two popular clubs.
The crowd was terrific, vulgar, jocose
and good-natured. The men playfully
beat each other up against the walls.
The women, large-eyed with terror,
We're drawn through the melee, hang
ing desperately on the arm of a swain.
| Nobody crowded them in the least, but
they seemed to be under the impression
that the ambition of the multitude was
to throw them down and stamp on
them. They chung frenziedly to the
arms of their protectors, their heads
moving as if on pivot, as their wan
dering glances of naughty anger were
directed toward the adjacent men.
just in front of me, after we got our
seats, were man and girl of peculiar
types. The man was a Freddy or Chol-
ly, off on half-holiday. The air of
The shop chung about him. His clothes
shyly put forth little buds of style in the
shape of necktie and gloves; his trous-
ers were bashfully, surreptitiously blue
But he had a happy, good-natured face,
and most ingenious and progresses
ing smile.
The girl would have passed muster any
where. She was charmingly dressed
IN some striped material, with the stripes
sometimes going horizontally, some
times perpendicularly, with a most pecu-
liar and stylish effect. She had a white
sailor hat on, with bit of white ribbon
round it, exactly like a mans, and
carriage at once languid and erect.
She was altogether very chic, and, be-
sides this, extremely pretty, with clean
cut features and smooth, bright brown
hair, twisted up in loose knot at the
back of her head. They talked together
for time on different topics, until she
presently acknowledged that she knew
nothing whatever of the game.
Then I'll teach you. Oh, It's easy
enough he said, confidently, .'any-
body can learn it i'm fifteen minutes. "
The next moment he was interrupted
in the midst of his explanations by the
game beginning.
"Ah, now Wen see some fun" he
cried with the enthusiasm of veteran
of base ball fields. There goes Billy
Niece to the bat"
ITO the batr' vaguely looking
about. Where? How do you mean?"
why" smilingly, charmed by this
naive ignorance; ''over there by the
home plate, don't you see?"
She raised herself by the seat in front
of her and peered over the heads of the
crowd. Il don't see any plate any
where, Freddy" she said, after a long
survey, and with look of disappoint-
ment. Then, struck by a bright idea,
she added with sudden vivacity: "Rut,
perhaps it's on the bench. 1t would be
much safe to keep it on the bench.
Don't you think sor' looking conf
dinghy into his face.
There was a slight litter from behind.
The two ends of a rich terra Gotta blush
met and joined above the back of Fred
dy's collar
Yes, yes-thats all right" he muir
INJURED, without looking at her, and Civ
Ing her gentle push with his elbow.
'But the home plates that white thing
he's hitting with his bat"
Whats he hitting it for? He'll GER
tainly break it if he does that"
They always do that before they be-
gin" Then, with sudden interest:
There. The pitchers in the box.
Now watch!'
lin the box!' with colossal surprise,
''what box?"
'On, that white square," slightly inn
patient, '.he has to stand there when he
pitches"
She looked all about the field with
dainty curiosity, then folding her hands
she said, with a pretty air of pouting
displeasure. IL should think you'd be
ashamed to make fun of me. You know
just as well as / do he isn't in box at
all. That'sa silly joke. How could he
throw if he was i'm boX?n turning and
laughing up into his face in a tantaliz-
ingly triumphant manner.
There was another and louder litter.
She turned around in her seat and
laughed ioyously at the titterers, with
wicked look, which said plainly, Il
got him that time, didn't I?'' then
settled herself comfortably and pre-
pared to watch the game. Freddy,
with bent head, pretended to consult
his score card.
Presently a sounding blow of the bat
reused him, and he rose shrieking. The
massive form of the batter shot past
first base, and dashed, like a galleOn,
under full sail, for a second. The ball
had torn like a cannon ball through the
fingers of the left field, and was cutting
a lightning streak of white across the
velvety sward. The next instant ball,
second base in tangled mass, and arms
and legs emerged confusedly. The
black and white jacketed fielders
rushed in, thirsting for blood. The
umpire seized bat to defend himself
against then onslaught. The dusty
simeon, lifting, displayed the flushed
pul ulplldnb ltdluItS VI tllt bdlttI
pressed lovingly against his mother
earth, while the second baseman sat
gloomily astride this supine bulk, one
arm raised. brandishing the ball. They
both roared in an excited duo SEEM
ingly quite undismaYed by the fact that
nobody listened to them.
The excitement abated, the umpire
being still alive and appearing i'm
passive. The fielders, with hanging
arms, muttering curses, strobe back to
their places. The second baseman
rose reluctantly, allowing his fallen
antagonist TO regain the perpendicular.
Freddy, with his hat on the back of his
head, and the crystal drops of excite
ment standing out on his pellucid brow,
took his seat and turned enthusiastically
| toward his companion.
1T was an awful close call, wasn't
it?' he asked, still gasping
yes" she admitted, doubtfully,
lawfully close" with sudden relish,
Il couldn't make out which won. But
Freddy" looking up with limpid eyes,
.'what were they running for?"
There was blood on the face of the
moon for a moment. l quite feared